EMJ17104

Analog
Electronics
CHAPTER 3:
SPECIAL-PURPOSE DIODES
 Chapter Outline
• Zener Diode

• Varactor Diode

• Light Emitting Diode

• Photodiode

• Laser Diode

• Schottky Diode

• PIN Diode

• Tunnel Diode

• Step Recovery Diode

Common
Diode Symbols
Zener Diode
•A Zener diode is designed for operation in
reverse breakdown region.

•Two type of reverse breakdown in a Zener

diode are avalanche and Zener.

•Zener breakdown occurs in a Zener diode at

low reverse voltages (Zener breakdown
voltage).
Zener Diode
(Breakdown Characteristics)
•As reverse voltage (VR) is increased, the
reverse current (IR also known as Zener
current, Iz) remains extremely small up to
the knee of the curve.
•At this point, the breakdown effect begins;
the internal Zener resistance (also known as
Zener impedance, Zz) begin to decrease as
the reverse current increases rapidly.
•The Zener breakdown voltage (Vz) remains
essentially constant although it increases
slightly as the Zener current, Iz increases.
Zener Diode
(Breakdown Characteristics)
•Zener diodes breakdown characteristics are
determined by the doping process.
•Low voltage Zener less than 5V operate in
the Zener breakdown range.
•Those designed to operate more than 5V
operate mostly in avalanche breakdown
range.
•Reverse characteristics of Zener diode. Vz is
usually specified at a value of the Zener
current known as the test current.
 Zener Diode
(Breakdown Characteristics)
• A Zener diode operating in breakdown acts as a voltage
regulator because it maintains a nearly constant voltage
across its terminals over a specified range of reverse-
current values.

• A minimum value of reverse current, Izk must be

maintained to keep the diode in breakdown for voltage
regulation.

• When reverse current is reduced below the knee of the

curve, the voltage decreases drastically, and regulation
is lost.

• Above maximum current, Izm the diode may be damaged

due to excessive power dissipation.

• A nominal Zener voltage, Vz is usually specified on a

datasheet at a value of reverse current called the Zener
test current, Iz.
Zener Diode
(Ideal Zener Equivalent Circuit)
•An ideal Zener diode has a constant voltage
drop equal to the nominal Zener voltage.
 Zener Diode
(Practical Zener Equivalent Circuit)
• By Ohm’s law, the ratio of ΔVz to ΔIz is the
impedance, as expressed in the following equation:

Zz = ΔVz /ΔIz

• Normally, Zz is specified at the Zener test current.

• Assume that Zz is a small constant over the full range

of Zener current values and is purely resistive.

• It is best to avoid operating a Zener diode near the

knee of the curve because the impedance changes
dramatically in that area.
 What is the Zener impedance if the Zener diode voltage
changes from 4.79V to 4.94V when the current changes
from 5mA to 10mA?

Example
 Varactor Diode
• Also known as variable capacitance (varicaps) diode
because junction capacitance varies with reverse
bias voltage. Its application is as tuning circuits e.g.,
tv tuner in communication system.

• A varactor is a diode that always operates in reverse

bias and is doped to maximize the inherent
capacitance of the depletion region.

• The depletion region act as a capacitance dielectric

because of its nonconductive characteristics.

• The p and n region are conductive and act as the

capacitor plates.
Varactor Diode
(Basic Operation)
•The capacitance is determined by plate
area, A, dielectric constant, έ and dielectric
thickness, d.

C = (A έ)/d

•As reverse bias voltage increases, depletion

region widen, d increase and C decrease.
When reverse bias voltage decrease,
depletion region narrows, d decrease and C
increase.
 Light Emitting Diode (LED)
• LED are used as indicator in electronic equipment,
and it will either ON or OFF condition.

• When LED forward bias, electron cross pn junction

from n region and recombine with hole in p region.
These free electron are in conduction band and at
higher energy level then holes in valence band.
When recombine takes place, recombining electrons
release energy in form of heat and light photons. A
large expose area on semiconductor material permit
photon to be emitted as visible light

• The operating voltage is from 2 to 5V and 10 to

40mA current (depending on the material).
Light Emitting Diode (LED)
•The LED emits light in response to a
sufficient forward current.

•The amount of power output translated into

light is directly proportional to the forward
current.

•An increase in IF corresponds proportionally

to an increase in light output.
Light Emitting Diode (LED)
(Example: Seven Segment Display)
 Photodiode
• Photodiode is a pn junction that operate in reverse
bias. It has a small transparent window that allow
light to strike the pn junction.

• Reverse-bias current is produced by thermally

generated electron-hole pairs in depletion region.
Current will increase with light intensity at pn
junction.

• At no light condition, reverse light current, Iλ is almost

negligible and called dark current. As light intensity
increase, Iλ increase normally in µA at 5V.

• It can be used as a variable resistance device

controlled by light intensity.
Photodiode
•Photodiode is used to vary current by the
amount of light that strikes it.

•It is placed in the circuit in reverse-bias. As

with most diodes when in reverse-bias, no
current flows when in reverse-bias, but when
light strikes the exposed junction through a
tiny window, reverse current increases
proportional to light intensity.
Laser Diode
•A laser diode converts an electrical signal
into coherent (monochromatic) light. It
produces an intense narrow beam of light
from the recombination of electrons and
holes in the depletion region.

•The process is similar to the process that

occurs in an LED, but a laser diode differs
because the light emission is stimulated by
a nearby photon to produce light that is “in
step” and occurs within an optical cavity.
Laser Diode
•Laser diodes are the most common form of
lasers made.

•They are used in applications such as bar

code readers, fiber optic transmitters, CD
readers, laser pointers, and instruments
such as rangefinders.
 Schottky Diode
• Schottky diode (hot carrier diode) are high current
diode used primarily in high frequency and fast
switching application.

• It consists of a heavily doped n-material and metal

bound together.

• The voltage drop is typically around 0.3V because

there is no depletion region as pn junction diode.

• The diode operates only with majority carriers (no

minority carriers, thus no reverse leakage current as
in other types of diodes).

• When forward biased, the higher energy electrons in

the n region are injected into the metal region where
they give up their excess energy very rapidly.
PIN Diode
•The pin diode consists of heavily doped p
and n regions separated by an intrinsic (i)
region.

•When reverse biased, the pin diode acts like

a nearly constant capacitance and when
forward biased, the pin acts like a nearly
current controlled variable resistance.

•PIN diode is also used in mostly microwave

frequency applications.
Tunnel Diode
•Tunnel diode has negative resistance, and
this feature makes it useful in oscillator and
microwave amplifier applications.
•Doping in p and n regions are much more
heavily than in conventional rectifier diode
and result in an extremely narrow depletion
region.
•The heavy doping allows conduction for all
reverse voltages so that there is no
breakdown effects as with the conventional
rectifiers diode.
Step Recovery Diode
•Step recovery diode is also used for very
high frequency (VHF) fast switching
applications.
Selected Key
Terms
Selected Key
Terms
 1. A Zener diode can be used as a

a. constant current source

b. voltage reference

Test yourself… c. both of the above

d. none of the above

 2. A varactor is a diode used as a voltage controlled

a. current source

b. light sensor

Test yourself… c. resistor

d. capacitor
 3. The peak wavelength of an LED is related to

a. the viewing angle

b. the maximum power dissipated

Test yourself… c. the color

d. all of the above

 4. You would expect to find a laser diode in a

a. automobile taillight

b. bright sign board

Test yourself… c. bar code reader

d. all of the above

 5. A diode with a negative resistance region in its
characteristic curve is a

a. tunnel diode

b. Schottly diode
Test yourself… c. varactor

d. photodiode
 6. A photodiode

a. has three layers

b. operates with reverse bias

Test yourself… c. is a light emitter

d. all of the above

The End